How It Is
by Lluniwr Geiriau
Summary: Just a high school fic with enough fluff and teenage drama to satiate anyone's cravings. Every girl wants a bad boy who's good just for her and every boy wants a good girl who's bad just for him. No relationship is plain sailing and that's just how it is.
1. Chapter 1

I meet the gaze of the man sitting opposite me. His eyes are bright but just a little bit tired, he's had a hard life. What, with his sick wife and being principle of a school made up of miscreants and future nobody's. Anybody could see he loves both though, he's done wonders with this crappy school and actually has kids leaving with passing grades which is a first for Seam and District High School in generations. He's broad shouldered and one of the only men I know who matches me in height. Which comes in handy when dealing with some of the idiots in this poor excuse for a school but it's taken it's toll. His wrinkles aren't all too pronounced yet but they're getting there and his hair is starting to grey at the temples, I'm probably responsible for most of that. I'm in this office more than I'm in my lessons, if I decide to show up at all. Over the years we've formed some sort of ... I don't know friendship, I guess that's what you could call it. He get's that most of the kids here have no expectations of their lives and does the best he can to encourage them to pursue more than that but there's only so much a push in the right direction can do. Principal or Malcolm Undersee loosens his tie and sits back in his chair, swinging side to side slightly.

"What can I do for you today Mr. Undersee?" I sigh

"Aside from the fact you've chosen to arrive after noon?" he asks sarcastically

"Slept through my alarm" I shrug, he purses his lips and nods slowly as if in contemplation

"I have time for you Gale, I really do but truthfully if it wasn't for your exam results I'd have expelled you years ago and you know how much I hate that. You clearly have potential ... a lot of potential, you could really go places ... if you started making a little effort. Maybe actually showing up here more than once a week? And handing in the work"

"I've got more important things to worry about than homework" I remind him

"I know and I can understand how the whole concept of school must seem completely pointless to you but a student like you comes around once in a blue moon Gale. I'm willing to help you in any way I can if you'll just meet me halfway"

"What exactly do I have to do?"

"Just go to your classes, do the work you're given. It's no good having the best test results in the state if you haven't got the work to back it up"

"Fine, so I show up to lessons, do my homework and what? You won't call my mom"

"Gale, you start applying yourself and I can guarantee you a full scholarship to any school you want" he says quirking an eyebrow "and if you carry on like this I'm really going to have to take you off the team" We stare each other down for a minute before he stands "do we have a deal?"

"I'll do what I can, I'm not promising anything" Undersee sighs and chuckles

"I'll take what I can get. Now shoo, I have lunch plans".

I stop short in the waiting room when I find it's not empty. Knee high socks, as if they weren't sexy enough, give way to sculpted and sun-kissed thighs, barely covered by a navy blue and green tartan skirt that emphasises a tiny waste, a fitted white shirt that highlights perfect perky little boobs, a navy tie I'd like to have tied around my wrists, a navy cardigan that contrasts just right with golden curls, wavy tresses that fall to that tiny waist, two small strands pulled to the back of her head and tied with a ribbon the same colour as the tie.

When I reach her neck I'm just praying she's as beautiful as the rest of her body and I am not disappointed. Pouty lips, petite nose, big eyes, thick fanned out eyelashes. Shit! As if the uniform wasn't enough to get my blood pumping, she's got a lolly pop in her mouth, she sucks at it gently, twisting it between her thumb and forefinger and a pair of black rimmed glasses perched on her nose.

I almost blow my load when she shifts and I see the cover of the text book she's reading. 'Mechanical Engineering', a girl that can hold a decent conversation is particularly hard to come by these days, not that I'd be doing much talking if I got this girl alone. She closes the book and fishes a magazine from her satchel, it was good while it lasted I guess.

When I'm prepared to settle for a short, purely physical interaction with this girl she holds up the magazine and I'm convinced this is either a set up or a wet dream. Before my dad died he had a subscription to 'Harley Davidson', it wasn't a necessity so we haven't had it in years but that doesn't mean I lost my love for bikes. She flips through until she finds an article and settles into her seat further. I have got to get this girls number, a name at least.

"I'm digging the catholic school girl look" she doesn't even look up, just rolls her eyes and flips a page

"Yes well, so do dirty old men" she deadpans, feisty is good, I like feisty, as long as it's in small doses. The mystery blonde tucks her hair behind her ear and it reveals an elaborate crest on her cardigan anyone would recognise. It's the school crest for Capitol, the all girls boarding school in the next town over, notoriously brilliant at everything and ridiculously expensive. They're known for churning out some of the most successful women in the country but as far as I know they don't teach mechanical engineering or engineering of any kind

"You're a little lost aren't you Capitol?" she sighs in exasperation and slaps her magazine shut ready to give me a good tongue lashing I expect but her jaw falls slack when she looks up at me. I love it when I have that effect

"Gale" she gasps, not what I was expecting. For a second I worry I've already met this girl and didn't call her or something but I know I wouldn't have forgotten her and I definitely would have called her. I also can't imagine her being at any of the parties where I meet my usual friends

"Uh ... yeah" I say lamely, raising an eyebrow

"Gale Hawthorne" it's not a question but I still feel the need to answer

"Yeah?" I answer, a question in my tone

"You don't remember me" she says with a small amused smile. I wouldn't have forgotten this girl, I wouldn't have. I'm not as much of a scumbag as people make out, neither am I a man whore but people talk

"Uh" she laughs and it's possibly the sweetest thing I've heard besides Posy singing that little nursery rhyme they taught her in play group

"Don't worry, I wouldn't expect you to"

"Ahhh now I feel bad" she grins and I sit beside her. I'm about to ask her name when Undersee's office door opens

"Oh, Gale you're still here" he narrows his eyes at me and glances quickly at the tiny gap between me and the blonde "didn't we just talk about you going to your classes"

"On my way" I grin and salute him

"Sorry to keep you waiting Darling, I didn't know you'd arrived" Undersee kisses the blonde's cheek and I nearly fall off my seat. Undersee is not the type of man to have a 'squeeze' on the side and if he ever did he'd never parade it around. Then again if I'd just left no one would've seen her. No, Undersee is not a cradle snatcher, he's a decent guy, a family man, he has a wife and kid. Holy Shit! A wife and kid, only she's not a kid anymore, she's about sixteen years of beautiful and she's stood right next to me

"Madge!" the exclamation's past my lips before I can stop it and I can feel my eyes bugging out of my head

"It's good to see you again Gale" she grins and it's kinda like staring at the sun

"Uh you too ... Madge" saying her name is weird, I never called her Madge, it was always Undersee or Princess. Remembering how much of a douche I was to her sucks, my chances with her just went from fair to dismal and I've never been this disappointed about it before. Undersee clears his throat and places a hand on Madge's back to guide her to the door

"Yes well, we're going for an early lunch. I believe you have a math lesson to attend, forty minutes of one at least"

"Yeah, right you are Undersee" both Madge and her father shake their heads at me as I leave. I can't help glancing over my shoulder and watching them go, she looks as good from the back as she does from the front. I'm reminded right then that sometimes the world is just cruel.


	2. Chapter 2

My math teacher seems peeved when I stroll into her class twenty five minutes late but raises an eyebrow when she sees it's me

"How nice of you to join us Mr. Hawthorne, I'd assumed we wouldn't be seeing you again"

"You and me both" I drop into the vacant seat at the back of the class and place my chin on my templed hands. Note to self - if you're going to do this, you're going to need books and pens. When the woman teaching the class realises I don't have any supplies she sighs and pushes a text book in front of me but I still don't have anything to write with "uh -" shit, I don't even remember her name "Miss?"

"Yes Mr. Hawthorne"

"I don't have a pen" she slaps a biro on my desk and returns to the front of the class looking thoroughly pissed.

The work is easy enough, quadratic and linear equations, I find myself bored and fidgeting for fifteen minutes because I finished before everyone else. It's only natural that my brain conjures images of the jaw dropping blonde I saw earlier. When the bell finally rings I've played a variety of erotic scenarios through my mind and I'm more excited than anyone has a rite to be in a math lesson.

Thom and Darius are at our usual spot in the cafeteria engaged in some apparently serious conversation, they both startle when I sit down opposite them

"Jesus Hawthorne! You've got to stop doing that" I smirk at Darius as he glares at me "scares the shit out of me every time"

"Pussy" Thom jibes

"F - off you jumped too"

"Alright Ladies settle down" I smirk "where is everyone?"

"Thresh is in the gym" Thom tells me rolling his eyes "Kat and Bristel got detention for skipping class yesterday"

"So, what did the big man want?" Darius asks

"What Undersee? Nothing really"

"He gonna kick you out?" Thom asks almost worriedly

"Nah, not yet anyways"

"You've got more lives than a Buddhist cat" Darius laughs

"He sure is lenient with you Gale" Thom agrees

"I guess" I shrug

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Thom says narrowing his eyes in suspicion

"What?"

"You haven't stopped grinning since you sat down"

"What are you talking about?"

"You dog!" Darius chuckles "either you've got the hots for our principle or you just got lucky"

"What?! Guys we're in school"

"You got a hot date tonight or something?" Thom asks

"Don't be silly Thom, Gale doesn't have dates"

"Not unless you count hooking up at the slagheap with nothing more than a hello and a goodbye"

"Hey! Give me some credit, I walk them home" I defend myself lamely

"So who is it?"

"No one"

"Like hell, a smile like that means one of two things" Darius says pointing his tuna salad baguette at me "You just got blown or you're going to"

"Huh I wish"

"Talk!" both my friends demand, I laugh and shake my head at them

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you"

"C'mon Gale, you're killing me here" Thom whines

"Undersee has a daughter"

"Like a daughter or a daughter" Thom asks as if I'm supposed to know what he means, it's funny that I do

"I mean a daughter, like better than a wet dream"

"Shiiiiiit" Darius whistles

"Darius man you have no idea"

"Details, details"

"I couldn't do her justice"

"You get her number?"

"No, don't think it'll happen"

"Can I call dibs then" Thom asks very seriously

"Not a chance, she might hate me but I don't give up that easy"

"That was quick" Darius jibes

"Why does she hate you?" Thom holds up his hand "you blow her off already?"

"I was kind of a dick to her when we were kids"

"You know her?"

"I did. Me and Kat used to sell her strawberries"

"Awh how cute" I shove Darius' shoulder but can't help but smile

"Shut up"

"So you're pretty into her huh?"

"No" both Thom and Darius raise their eyebrows at me and I laugh "I'm not! ... Alright, alright but you should have seen her. She was reading Harley Davidson, she was sucking on a lolly" Thom grins and Darius licks his lips "she goes to Capitol and she was wearing that little catholic school girl uniform"

"Waitwaitwait" Thom says waving his hand at me "she goes to Capitol?"

"So?"

"Gale you hate all that privileged rich kids crap"

"Yeah but she's not like that"

"You're just saying that because she's hot"

"So?" I joke "but she's not. Privileged I mean, I used to think she was but she's not"

"You like her this much after seeing her once?" Thom chuckles

"I knew her when I was a kid too. I mean, no, I just think she's hot"

"Sure Hawthorne whatever you say" Darius snickers

"I had a crush on her when I was a kid okay. I'd forgotten about it but when I saw her earlier it was like I was thirteen again"

"How romantic" Thom gushes

"Oh go to hell the both of you" I growl as they giggle like little girls.

I'm late for my last lesson because I don't even know what it is and after going to the office to find out, I'm really late. After the inevitable lecture about time keeping I settle in to an empty seat at the back of the class and take notes. When final bell rings it's sooner than I thought and I'm more than ready to get on the field for lacrosse practice but somehow I end up late for that as well and by the time I get there everyone's changed and on the field.

"Late again Hawthorne" Coach or Fletcher Boggs also known as Darius' dad calls without even turning to see it's me

"Sorry Coach"

"Setting a good example for your team there Captain"

"Won't happen again"

"Don't lie, Pollux is taking your warm up" I jog over to the group and drop on to my front next to Darius to join them in the last few push ups

"Hey man"

"Oh hey, guess what?"

"What?"

"Guess! You are so gonna love me forever for this" Darius grins as we jog back and forth

"I doubt that" I chuckle without looking at him

"We'll see" he shrugs "I've got some information you'll be interested in"

"That's nice" I smile completely uninterested

"About Undersee's daughter" and suddenly Darius has all my attention

"Oh?" Darius smirks at my sudden interest

"She's single"

"Seriously?" I ask in genuine disbelief

"Seriously"

"Well thanks man"

"Oh that's not it. My source also happened to know that your girl hangs out at 4 almost every night"

"What the hell is 4?"

"You know that big indoor gaming complex with the pool and the food court and ice rink outside"

"Oh rite" I nod and fasten my pace

"So ... are we going?" Darius nudges me as he speeds to match my pace

"I'm not a stalker"

"You're not following her, maybe you just wanted to play some pacman"

"And I'd go all the way across town to do that?"

"Gale, we're going" he says with finality

"No see I-"

"We're going".


	3. Chapter 3

So here I am sitting in Darius' car, waiting for a glimpse of Madge in the rear view mirror like the creeper of all creepers. '4' as it turns out, isn't as awful as I'd imagined, it's mostly families and kids relaxing after school all bundled up in their winter gear. I know I'll have to bring the kids here, Rory would love the atmosphere, Vick would make a second home in the arcade and I'd have to surgically remove Posy from the doll house play area. The area I'm currently scouting is between the main complex and the ice ring, it's basically a partly sheltered picnic area. At the minute it's blanketed in a thin but growing layer of snow and I imagine in the summer it's just as special in an entirely different way.

A flash of blonde hair catches my eye and like I have every time that's happened, I sit up in my seat. It's not her but as I'm about to go back to scanning the crowd a petite figure throws itself at the blonde I'd spotted and it is Madge. She looks adorable, her grey winter coat hangs open but her tiny frame is still drowning in it, underneath she's wearing a white woollen jumper and faded denim skinny jeans tucked into calf high suede boots the same colour as the coat, she's got a baby pink beanie sitting on the back of her head that matches her scarf and gloves and her hair spills from under it down to her waist. With the light snow fall and the atmosphere she looks like she just walked out of an expensive catalogue. I am in so much trouble.

"Okay lets go"

"What? Why?" Darius follows my gaze and looks up at the interior mirror "Can you see her?" he asks excitably and turns in his seat "where?" he almost squeals "geez you weren't kidding, she's hot!"

"Alright keep your pants on. Hey you said she's single rite?"

"Yeah"

"Then who's that?" a tanned guy with sandy, okay, bronze hair and too many white teeth jogs over to the two blondes and throws his arm around Madge, Darius follows my gaze and his eyes widen

"Holy shit that's Finnick O'dair!"

"Should I know who that is?"

"The sol reason you're not gonna score next season ... in more ways than one" Darius laughs at his own joke and I silence him with a glare "he's Merchant Boys Academy's Lacrosse goalie and a good looking son of a bitch"

"Shit! You sure that's him?"

"Yeah, look" Darius points at the group we're currently spying on, who have now been joined by three hulking blonde guys and a smaller guy with darker hair and shoulders not quite as wide "the Mellark twins, defenders - their brothers the coach, Cato Baxter, best shot in the state - besides you, Marvel Touson - he's French you know"

"Really I'd never have guessed"

"Ha ha" Darius smiles sarcastically "he's midfield with Thresh"

"Good luck to him"

"Yeah but he's fast"

"So are you"

"True. So what are we doing, we going over there?"

"What?! No!"

"You dragged me all the way here for nothing?"

"For a start you dragged me and you gave me false information. You said she didn't have a boyfriend" I snap more annoyed at the fact than Darius "where are you going? Darius come back" I demand but he's already slammed the car door and made it half way there "Darius" I growl, reluctantly trailing after him

"Hey it's Madge rite?" Darius walks right up to her holding out his hand

"Uh yeah" she smiles with her brow furrowed and takes his hand "how?-"

"Oh my friend Gale pointed you out"

"Gale?" she asks sounding almost petrified, ah shit!

"Yeah he's right ... oh here" he grins when he realises I followed him

"Gale" Madge greets me carefully

"Hi Madge" I'm about to ask how she is when pretty boy stands up and puffs out his chest

"Hi -"

"Finnick O'dair" Darius cuts him off by taking his hand and pulling him into a one armed hug "good to meet you man"

"You too ...?"

"Darius, Darius Boggs"

"Ah I thought I recognised you, that makes you Gale Hawthorne"

"It does"

"I hear good things about you"

"Likewise"

"What brings you to this side of town?"

"I-"

"Madge" Darius cuts me off and I glare at him

"I see" Finnick smirks and gives Madge a sideways glance, I brave a glance myself and see she's blushing. Great I've embarrassed her and her boyfriend probably wants to beat on me and steal my lacrosse title

"Uh I should introduce you to everyone" Madge says awkwardly "this is Cato, Peeta, Rye, Marvel and Delly" I nod my head in acknowledgement while Darius jumps into a conversation about whether turf is better than astro with Marvel and Rye. To my surprise pretty boy moves away to sit with the three remaining blonde's, Peeta, Cato and what's her name. If I was dating Madge the last thing I would do is leave her alone with another guy. In fact I don't think I'd let her go ever, at all.

"So you come here often?" Die, right now, crawl into a hole and die, that's what I want to do after saying that god awful line

"All the time" Madge laughs "I can't believe you just said that"

"Me either" I say scratching the back of my neck "I'm normally much smoother than this"

"Uh huh?"

"I mean- oh god"

"Relax Gale, I'm not gonna bite" I let out a nervous chuckle and meet her gaze for the first time "you wanna get some hot chocolate?" she asks quirking her head towards a vendor at the edge of the picnic garden

"Sure" I nod and follow her over to the stand

"I'll take one large full monty and ...?" Madge looks from the vendor to me and I reply with ... silence

"Uh, I don't know ... a hot chocolate?" I say lifting my shoulders in question, Madge rolls her eyes

"He'll have the same" Madge says handing over a note

"Hey no! No I got these" I press my own money into the smirking guys hand and hand Madge's back to her

"Thanks" she murmurs and the smile she gives me leaves me speechless

"Don't mention it" I mutter back, dazzled "so?" I add shaking my head to regain complete control "What exactly am I drinking here?" I ask giving the mountain of whipped cream a sceptical look

"This" she grins "is the full monty, just the rite amount of the creamiest, richest, mind blowingly amazing hot chocolate in existence with extra shots of caramel and toffee, topped with a handful of mini marshmallows, a giant helping of lip lickingly delicious whipped cream and as if that wasn't enough, chocolate shavings"

"Wow that guy should pay you to stand by his cart"

"There's no need, this bad boy sells itself ... go on, what do you think?" I look down at the concoction in my hands and try to work out how I'm going to get around the cream

"Is there some sort of cheat way of doing this or?"

"Nope, just go ahead and dig rite in" she smirks and her eyes twinkle so I do as she says. It's amazing, like hands down the best thing I've ever tasted, I'm definitely bringing the kids here. It's that good I don't care that there's whipped cream all over my face

"That's so good" I tell a giggling Madge "like really really good"

"I told you so" she says taking a sip for herself "mmmmm" she hums and I can't help but laugh at the mess on her face

"Smile!" there's a chaotic second where all I can see is yellow and teeth then Madge is kissing my cheek and there's a flash and what's her name lowers a fancy camera from her eye

"Any good Del?" Madge asks dropping from her tip toes and moving to stand behind Delly, Delly that's her name "will you get me a copy of that?" she asks peering over Delly's shoulder at the camera "you wanna see Gale?" I think I shrug but the camera is shoved in my face by Delly anyway and there it is, Madge Undersee, kissing me, Gale Hawthorne, on the cheek but still

"Isn't it cute?" Delly gushes "you two are just too much" Madge blushes, I'm pretty sure I'm purple "I'm gonna go get a few shots of the others" Delly tells us already getting too far away for us to hear

"I feel like I just got sucked into a twister of fairy dust and unicorns" Madge laughs

"Yeah she's like that, I don't think I've ever seen her less than preppy ... you have" Madge points at my cheek and I wipe away the cream her kiss left there

"You too" I grin and wipe the cream from her nose

"Thanks" she flushes and bites her lip, it's adorable and sexy all at once "so how've you been the last five years?" she asks with an amused yet embarrassed smile

"Good I suppose, not much has happened"

"Well what about your family? Rory? Vick? Your mom? Was the baby a boy or a girl?" I startle momentarily that she remembers or even knows that much then can't help my lips from quirking up

"They're good and it was a girl, Posy" she smiles at her feet before taking a seat

"That's a really pretty name, I'm sure she's a little rascal if she's anything like her brothers" I grin as I take the seat next to her

"She has us all wrapped around her little finger" I can feel the grin taking over my face and the fondness in my tone

"Gale Hawthorne you big softie, who knew" she laughs nudging my elbow with hers

"Hey Madge?!" I follow the voice to find pretty boy waving her over and a brick settles itself in my stomach

"I better see what he wants" she sighs

"It's cool, I should probably head off anyway"

"Oh, okay" she nods and I could almost hope she was disappointed "it was really great seeing you Gale"

"You too Undersee" she laughs and shakes her head

"I'll see you Gale"

"Yeah" I watch her walk away then start back to Darius' car hoping he's there.

"You're kidding me rite?" Darius leans back against the drivers side door with his arms folded over his chest and his eyebrow raised "you and Undersee's hot daughter being all happily ever after and you're not even gonna get her number?" shit! I didn't but she's not available anyway

"She's with O'dair"

"She sure wasn't acting like it just now, did I spy her planting one on you?" he smirks

"Shut up"

"You're not actually gonna leave are you?"

"Yeah" I reply dumbly

"Oh no you're not"

"Oh yes ... I am"

"You're really not" Darius smirks at something over my shoulder

"Gale" she calls as I turn, she's puffed out and her cheeks are red like she'd ran here "we were about to go over to the ice, did you wanna come with us?"

"Uh yeah sure, sure" I reply without even considering Darius, I don't need to turn around to know he's got that stupid smug little grin on his stupid smug little face

"Great"

"I can't promise I'm going to stay upright"

"It's alright I'll look after you" she teases.


	4. Chapter 4

I stand on the edge of the ice waiting for Darius and the others to put their skates on, I used to go all the time as a kid, me and Katniss would go with our dads and we got pretty good but it's been years

"You ready?" Finnick slaps my shoulder and looks out at the ice like it's an army of mutant lizards

"Yeah I guess, you?" I ask confused

"Nah, I suck at this"

"What's the worst that could happen?"

"You guys coming?" Peeta asks as he passes us

"We'll catch up" Finnick tells him. From what I know of Peeta Mellark he's a saint and overly friendly, for this reason I don't trust him "I could fall and it could hurt like hell" Finnick continues sounding genuinely scared

"You're a lacrosse player, you can take a hit, big guy like you" I remark trying to disguise my sarcasm

"Bigger they are, harder they fall my friend" I'd think it was a threat if he wasn't shaking, what does Madge see in this guy? Sure he's okay looking but he's a douche and a wimp I mite add

"C'mon Fin you big baby" one of the burly blonde ones calls, Cato I think "you coming Gale?"

"Uh in a minute" I fluster, taken off guard by him addressing me

"Okay" he nods and pushes Finnick to the ice. I watch him take his first tentative step then another before he throws his hands up in the air in triumph and falls on his ass. A burst of laughter bubbles from my chest and I can't stop as I watch Cato and Peeta try to pull him to his feet

"You ready?" Madge appears at my side buzzing with excitement and I can't do anything more than nod, I follow her to the gate then onto the ice, I remember the unsteadiness but it doesn't seem as much fun as it did when I was a kid, it may have something to do with the fact I know have two feet further to fall

"I haven't done this since I was a kid" I admit as Madge circles me effortlessly

"You're okay just watch my feet" she stops in front of me and takes my hands then pushes gently with her left foot "copy me okay?" she propels us with her right foot so I slide my left forward to fill the gap "that's it just watch me"

"No problem" I mumble. I'm never like this, I'm confident, I'm a charmer, I don't even have to speak normally now I find I can't. I glance up at her and she's blushing again, she speeds us up a bit and I step to keep the gap between us from growing

"See, it's not so hard" she drops my hands and I make a conscious effort not to frown. She weaves in and out of people backwards without ever taking her eyes off me then lifts one skate off the ice and spins, she almost blurs she's spinning that fast then she's back on two feet gliding towards me like nothing ever happened. Warmth pools in my stomach when she takes my hands again and resumes our slow pace

"How are you so good at this?"

"I come here every weekend I can't go home, I guess I'm here a lot. Kinda sad ice skating on your own huh?" she laughs

"Maybe a little" I tease "if you ever want someone to come with" I shrug

"Really?"

"Sure, I'll be as good as you in no time"

"I'll hold you to that Hawthorne"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world" I look up from our feet the same time she does and she smiles, there's snow stuck in her eyelashes and her cheeks are pink with cold and she is absolutely breath-taking

"You're not at all like you were when we were kids you know"

"Oh hell" I cringe "I knew this would come up"

"What? You thought I wouldn't be curious?"

"Actually I would like to take this opportunity to apologise"

"Oh really?"

"I just didn't know how to talk to you, you had everything and my family was barely scraping by, I had this huge crush on you, you made me nervous, I was jealous of you-"

"Are you kidding me?"

"I know it's not an excuse-"

"No Gale" she slows us to a stop and lifts her eyebrows "what?"

"I was jealous of you?"

"Oh my god, do you know how jealous I was of you? I know I had ... everything but I never really had any friends, there was Peeta and Katniss but Peeta had his own problems and we both now how talkative Katniss is, I always envied your family, I'd give anything to have a sibling"

"You say that now" she smiles at my joke but looks down at her knotted fingers

"I thought you hated me"

"No"

"You had a crush on me?" she glances up at me from under her bangs and her lips quirk up in a smile

"Yeah"

"What a coincidence" she murmurs still staring at her knotted fingers

"Really?" my voice rises by an entire octave, in both shock and some form of hope

"Yeah" she mutters looking at her skates again. I grin at the top of her head and cup her face in my gloved hands, I lift her chin and she blinks "oh god, okay, this is going to happen"

"Mmhm" I nod and lower my lips to hers, she slides her hands up my arms to rest under my shoulder blades and my skin tingles even under all the layers between us. Her lips are soft, so soft on mine but she holds her own. I nip at her bottom lip and she smiles before biting gently at my own. I capture her lips again and she pushes onto the balls of her feet to assume control over the kiss, she flicks her tongue over my top lip lightly but never does anything more than that "tease" I murmur against her mouth, she pecks my lips once more and grins

"Boy"

"Was hell of a first kiss" I agree

"Get a room!" Finnick bellows as he stumbles by us and we share a nervous laugh

"I can't believe I thought you were dating that guy"

"What Finnick?"

"Mm"

"I am"

"What?!" I exclaim completely confused

"I'm kidding Gale" she giggles "he's my best friend, besides Cato - I'm a bridesmaid at his wedding next year"

"Wedding?"

"Yeah wedding" she laughs "Annie, she goes to Capitol with me"

"They're getting married?"

"Yeah, they're young but they're in love and they only really have each other"

"What do you mean?"

"Well both their parents all but abandoned them at school and besides us they don't have anyone but each other"

"Is that really a good reason to get married so young?"

"There's obviously more to it than that but if they make each other happy why not?" she shrugs then looks up at me "don't answer that" she laughs having seen my expression "it's not for everyone" she shrugs "but they're happy"

"But that's so young"

"You only say that because you've met Finnick and he's the most immature person on God's green earth" she laughs "but he's different with Annie. He's real with her. He's been through a lot and the bravado is just his way of not having to deal with it"

"So you're all for it? Teen marriage?" I joke, she shakes her head

"Not at all, if it was anyone else I'd be baffled but it's not. Fin and Annie are meant to be and if they know that why wait?"

"Why rush?" I counter, she shakes her head again and smiles

"Still stubborn as ever I see"

"Would you have it any other way Princess?" I whisper, cupping her jaw. She winds her fingers into my hair and shakes her head before yanking my lips to hers again.


End file.
